The Love of Pietro and St. Gianna Molla: Holy Family Reflection

The union of man and woman that establishes family life is a sacred reality at the very foundation of the social order. Bonded in love and in obedience to the Lord of life, the family reflects the holiness of the Holy Family, centered on Jesus. By the grace of union with Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, family life—with its challenges and its joys—becomes a path to holiness.

“The Christian family is a communion of persons, a sign and image of the communion of the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit. In the procreation and education of children, it reflects the Father’s work of creation. It is called to partake of the prayer and sacrifice of Christ. Daily prayer and the reading of the Word of God strengthen it in charity” (CCC

2205).

What establishes the family is love. For a family to be sustained is through holy love. St. Gianna Molla and her husband Pietro exchanged letters following their engagement, which demonstrates how they mirrored God’s love for each other.

Pietro wrote:

I love to remember your affectionate embrace when we met and the restful tranquility of the unforgettable hours we spent together…. For the first time together, we heard Holy Mass and received Jesus in Holy Communion. “Thank you for giving me Gianna as the sweet companion of my life. Make our love grow ever greater, sweeter, and purer. Make me

worthy of her, and may our family receive heaven’s blessings; may we and our children be holy”: This was my prayer to Jesus as soon as he had come into my heart, while at the same time, I was moved by your devout recollection while you were talking to Jesus. With the greatest love, I embrace you.

Every time we receive Jesus, we pray to him the moment we receive him. For Pietro, he thanked Jesus for giving him Gianna and acknowledging how their love for each other had grown.

St. Gianna responded:

My dearest Pietro: How can I thank you for the magnificent ring? Pietro, in exchange, I give you my heart and I will always love you as I love you now. You are the dearest person to me…. I can’t wait for the moment when I can be yours forever…. I have great trust in the Lord, and I am certain that he will help me to become your worthy spouse. I often meditate on the words of the Epistle of the Mass of Saint Anne: A strong woman, who will find her?… The heart of her husband can trust her…. She will do only good things for him and never bring evil upon him throughout all his life (Prv 31:10-12). Pietro, I want to be that strong woman of the Gospel! Instead, I think and feel myself weak. This means that I must lean on your strong arm. I feel so safe, so close to you! I ask you a favor: from now on, Pietro, if you see me doing something wrong, tell me, okay? I will always be grateful to you if you do this. With much, much love, I embrace you. Your Gianna.

In the exchange, two things should be noted. First, their love for each other. St. Gianna was willing to give her love to Pietro. Second, they were willing to embark on a journey together that was bigger than themselves.

For marriages to flourish mutual love for one another, and God is placed at the center. God is the compass that can guide us to heaven and he wants our children. It is the role of the parents to lead them to him.

Holy Family, intercede for all families